STATUS REPORT: BRINGING FIBER TO AMERICA’S SCHOOLS .

245 DAYS

The time school districts waitedto discover the fate of theirfiber projects.

After waiting, districts are still

7xMORE LIKELY

to be denied.

Red Tape is Delaying Digital Equity

Last year, a number of stakeholders advocated for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to address the delays and denials that impacted schools from getting the fiber connections needed for digital learning.

Now, the FCC has directed the Universal Service Administrative Company to eliminate the red tape in the delayed E-rate application process; however, 28% of these schools were still denied funding to upgrade their networks.

In 2018, E-rate applicants filed for more than $430M for broadband construction. If the unfair denials continue, this could prevent $120 million in broadband construction for 78 applicants based on historical denial rates.

Why is this happening?

Illegitimate questionnairesThe review process required applicants to answer a confusing questionnaire, which was not approved under the Paperwork Reduction Act

Second guessing market-based competitive bidsUSAC used an unpublished cost model to deny applications

Lack of clarity and consistencyUSAC confused applicants by changing the application mid-cycle and giving ambiguous guidance

DISTRICT STORIES

DELAYS PUT STUDENTS’ DIGITAL LEARNING NEEDS ON HOLD | At Woodman, a rural Montana school, bandwidth is so limited that the school has to bus students to a nearby district to administer online assessments. The district applied for fiber and state matching funds and instead of receiving approval were issued an unanswerable 30-page questionnaire. After waiting over 250 days, Woodman was denied the funding they need to offer digital equity to their students.

CONFUSING PAPERWORK CAN LEAD TO UPGRADE DENIALS | Historically, Central Consolidated Schools’ expansive geography and proximity to tribal lands dissuaded service providers from bidding on their fiber projects. After applying for fiber funding, the district was denied in 2016 because of a minor discrepancy on their paperwork. Although the application process has since been adjusted to eliminate this confusing issue, this New Mexico district was still denied the funding it needs for high-speed connections.

Woodman School

Central Consolidated Schools

Who is being delayed and denied?

Red tape is stalling classroom connectivity across the country andthe negative impact is ultimately felt by teachers and students.